Add dates

Chiang Mai Tours

Our most recommended Chiang Mai Tours

Chiang Mai: Waterfall, Elephant Sanctuary and Bamboo Rafting

1. Chiang Mai: Waterfall, Elephant Sanctuary and Bamboo Rafting

Embark on a one-of-a-kind experience and visit an ethical rescued elephant sanctuary in the jungle outside Chiang Mai. Cool off in a waterfall, savor a traditional Thai lunch, and become a caretaker for the day as you interact, feed, and observe the gentle giants in their natural environment.  Begin with a pickup from your hotel or accommodation in downtown Chiang Mai. Take a scenic drive southwest of Chiang Mai and see local farms, hill tribe villages, and rice fields along the way.  Journey to the Mae Wang Waterfalls, where you'll relax and take a dip in the water. Arrive at the Secret Elephant Sanctuary located deep in the jungle. You'll be welcomed to the sanctuary by a guide who will lead you through the experience. Get dressed into Karen hill tribe clothing like the ones elephant caretakers wear. Next, get a briefing on Asian elephants and the background of the sanctuary. Come and meet the friendly rescued elephants and feed them bananas. Walk up the hill with elephants through the forest and watch the elephants forage for food in the wilderness. Observe elephants interacting between families in their natural environment. Head down to the river and enjoy bathing with the elephants. Walk with the elephants back to the sanatorium and embrace the memories and have time to say goodbye to these marvelous creatures. Finish off with a scenic bamboo rafting trip along the Mae Wang River before you get dropped off at your hotel in Chiang Mai.

From Chiang Mai: Doi Inthanon National Park Full-Day Tour

2. From Chiang Mai: Doi Inthanon National Park Full-Day Tour

Get picked up from your hotel in Chiang Mai city center for a day to explore one of Thailand’s original national parks and highest mountain, Doi Inthanon. This tour will feature picturesque landscapes, remote villages, and incredible viewpoints. After getting picked up from your hotel in Chiang Mai, head to your first stop, one of the largest and most beautiful waterfalls in the country, Wachirathan Waterfall. Over 80 meters high, the power of this waterfall creates a refreshing mist that feeds the surrounding vegetation.  Next, stop at the stunning 50-meter cascade, Sirithan Waterfall, which is fed by the Mae Klong River.  Then, stop at the famous twin pagodas: the Napamatanee Don and Napaphon Bhumisiri. Built for the Royal King and Queen, they are located at the highest point in Thailand.  Round out the tour with a visit to the Karen Tribe locale. Learn a bit about the hill tribes people’s culture and way of life in their village of Sobhad.

From Chiang Mai: Chiang Rai Temples Group/Private Tour

3. From Chiang Mai: Chiang Rai Temples Group/Private Tour

Experience Chiang Rai on a full-day trip from Chiang Mai to White Temple, Wat Rong Seua Teb, and Baan Dam Museum. Travel in a comfortable car and choose from a group or private tour. Enjoy the convenience of being picked up from your accommodation in Chiang Mai. Sit back and relax on the air conditioned drive. Stop at the Mae Khachan Hot Springs to relax, dip your feet into steaming mineral water, have a snack, or walk around the gardens. Continue to the modern architectural masterpiece known as the White Temple. Explore this fantastical space that was designed and built by a local artist, Chaloemchai Khositphiphat. Head to the Wat Rong Seua Ten (temple of the dancing tiger) to uncover the secrets of this religious site that was built where tigers were said to have leapt over the river. Admire the stunning blue and gold colors of this temple. Make your way to the Baan Dam Museum (Black House Museum). Explore a cluster of nearly 40 shadowy structures exhibiting art dating back to the Ayutthaya period. See preserved animals and a collection of bones. Travel by car back to your accommodation in Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary & Waterfall Small Group Tour

4. Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary & Waterfall Small Group Tour

Take a visit to the Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai. Start with a convenient pick-up from your hotel in the city center of Chiang Mai and take a drive to the elephant sanctuary. Learn how to make healthy snacks for elephants and see the rescued animals. Go for a swim at Mae Wang Waterfall. Relax as you are picked up from your city center accommodation in Chiang Mai. Sit back as you are driven southwest of the city on a scenic 1.5-hour drive. Encounter local farms, hill tribe villages, and rice fields. Receive a warm welcome when you arrive at the Pupha Elephant Sanctuary. Put on your traditional Karen Hill tribe clothes to look like an elephant caretaker. Listen to a briefing on Asian elephants and the background of the sanctuary. Gain new knowledge as you are taught how to make healthy snacks for the elephants. Feed the rescued elephants as you walk up a hill in the deep jungle. Watch the elephants foraging for food and see elephant families interacting with one another. Bathe in the river with the elephants and walk them back to the sanctuary, where you will be taught how to make elephant medicine balls. Take a shower and pack up your belongings. Eat a traditional Thai lunch and fresh fruits. Leave the elephant sanctuary and stop at Mae Wang waterfall for a quick swim before transferring back to your hotel in Chiang Mai city center. Finally, return to your starting point after the tour.

Chiang Mai: Elephant Care at Elephant Retirement Park

5. Chiang Mai: Elephant Care at Elephant Retirement Park

Meet and feed elephants on this elephant sanctuary tour from Chiang Mai. Watch these majestic creatures up close and learn about them from specialists. Sit down to an authentic Thai lunch and stay hydrated with complimentary water. Start your journey in the morning with a hotel pickup from Chiang Mai city center. Take the 1-hour ride to the countryside of Mae Tang district. Get changed into the local clothes and be ready for the fun activities. The experienced guide will provide information about the elephants' behavior and how to provide proper care for them. Then, prepare food and healthy treats for the elephants and feed them afterward. After that, you and the elephants will walk to play in the mud and sand spa. During this time, you will have a chance to observe their behavior, in beautiful natural surroundings. After your time with the elephants, change your clothes, shower, and then enjoy a delicious traditional Thai buffet lunch, which is suitable for vegetarians. After lunch, relax on the 1-hour journey back to your hotel in Chiang Mai city center.

Chiang Mai: Small Group Ethical Elephant Sanctuary Tour

6. Chiang Mai: Small Group Ethical Elephant Sanctuary Tour

Meet elephants on this guided day trip from Chiang Mai to the Lanna Kingdom Elephant Sanctuary, located in the middle of a lush national park. Here the elephants are able to roam freely in a large green space. Keep your clothes clean by wearing local clothes and boots. Feed and interact with rescued elephants before sitting down to a freshly cooked lunch.  Depart Chiang Mai aboard an air-conditioned van and journey into the mountains of northern Thailand to visit the ethical Lanna Kingdom Elephant Sanctuary (approximately 1-hour drive from the city center). Upon arrival, learn about the elephant conservation program and benefit from an introductory talk, and the chance to interact with the rescued animals. Get the chance to give them a hug and discover how to prepare a healthy meal to feed them. Go for a walk around the sanctuary with the elephants and stop to give them a mud bath to keep their body temperature down and protect them from parasites. Feed them before enjoying a homemade lunch at a restaurant inside the sanctuary.

From Chiang Mai: White Temple & Golden Triangle Day Trip

7. From Chiang Mai: White Temple & Golden Triangle Day Trip

Uncover the secrets of Thailand's famed Golden Triangle on this day trip from Chiang Mai. Travel aboard an air conditioned van from a centrally-located meeting point. Visit the Mae Kachan hot springs and the White Temple.  Explore the Mekong river on a longtail boat and enjoy a tasty lunch. Enjoy a pickup in central Chiang Mai, depart for Chiang Rai, stopping for a short break at Mae Kachan hot springs. Visit Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple, before continuing to the Golden Triangle area. Go to Wat Phra That Chedi Luang (limited access). See the Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar borders from the Golden Triangle viewpoint. Stop for lunch before spending time at House of Opium. Enjoy a long-tail boat trip on the mighty Mekong River. On the way back to Chiang Mai, take a break to stretch your legs in Mae Suay or Wiang Pa Pao district and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. The estimated arrival time in Chiang Mai city is 8:30 PM. 

Chiang Mai: Doi Inthanon National Park & Elephant Sanctuary

8. Chiang Mai: Doi Inthanon National Park & Elephant Sanctuary

Discover the beauty of the Doi Inthanon National Park, see the Wachirathan Waterfall, and feed elephants at an elephant sanctuary. Choose from a tour with a centrally-located meeting point in Chiang Mai or a tour with convenient pickup and drop-off directly at your accommodation in Chiang Mai.  Hop aboard a comfortable van or bus and relax the drive to the southwest of Chiang Mai. Stop at one of the largest and most beautiful waterfalls in the country, Wachirathan Waterfall. This waterfall is more than 80 meters high, creating a refreshing mist that nourishes the surrounding vegetation.  Continue your journey to admire the stunning Twin Royal Pagodas. Take in gorgeous panoramic views with a terraced flower garden and the summit of Doi Inthanon Mountain. Walk on an ancient fern forest trail and have a delicious lunch at at local restaurant. Drive through the mountains and hill tribe village to the Elephant Village. Once you arrive, put on a traditional Karen tribe t-shirt and get ready for your jungle adventure. Pickup some fruits to feed the elephants. Learn about Asian elephants and the village's background. Find out how to approach elephants and the correct ways to feed them. Go on a forest hike with the friendly elephants through the lush vegetation and breathtaking mountains. Observe elephants roaming and foraging for food freely in the wild.  Swim with the elephants at the hidden waterfall where you can take some amazing picture. Have free time for a cool shower, to dry off, and to change back into your own clothes. Leave the Elephant Village and travel about 1.5 hours back to Chiang Mai City. 

Chiang Mai: Authentic Thai Cooking Class and Farm Visit

9. Chiang Mai: Authentic Thai Cooking Class and Farm Visit

Learn how to make authentic Thai dishes with this fun, small-group cooking class in Chiang Mai as you prepare classic dishes using ingredients from a local market. Choose between a half-day class during the morning or the evening and cook five dishes, or go for the full-day class to cook an extra two courses! Get picked up at your hotel within Chiang Mai, then meet up with the rest of your group and choose what you want to cook from the menu. Visit a local market and buy the necessary ingredients, and tour an organic farm filled with fresh fruits and vegetables. Once you're done, head to the classroom and prepare your individual cooking stations for the lesson. Follow the instructions of your professional English-speaking guide as you cook a variety of authentic Thai dishes such as mango sticky rice, pad thai, and curry, and make curry paste with your own two hands! Enjoy the fruits of your labor by sharing a meal with your group. Exchange stories as you sample each others' cooking before you head back to your accommodation.

Chiang Mai: Ethical Elephant Observation Nature Park Visit

10. Chiang Mai: Ethical Elephant Observation Nature Park Visit

Visit Elephant Nature Park, a natural rescue center for elephants, dogs, cats, buffaloes and many other animals that need care. Volunteers and visitors contribute to the animals' healing while learning about their lives. Choose from a half-day or full-day tour. After pickup from your hotel in central Chiang Mai, admire the views as you drive through picturesque countryside to the nature park. Learn the stories of the rescued orphaned elephants and spend time with the different herds. Enjoy a vegetarian buffet lunch at the park, and get dropped off back in Chiang Mai at the end of your tour. With the full-day experience, have the chance to see and learn the elephants' eating behavior from a viewing platform. After lunch, walk down to a river that skirts the park and watch these gentle giants as they splash around while you stay dry on the riverbank.

112 activities found
Sort by:
Page 1 of 7

Frequently asked questions about Chiang Mai

What top attractions are a must-see in Chiang Mai?

The must-see attractions in Chiang Mai are:

What are the best day trips and excursions from Chiang Mai?

The best day trips and excursions from Chiang Mai are:

Chiang Rai

Other Sightseeing Options in Chiang Mai

Want to discover all there is to do in Chiang Mai? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Chiang Mai

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 816 reviews

Excellent, informative well organised and enjoyable Thai cooking experience. Everything was great from the pickup at the arranged time to the market and the farm which was pretty. The instructor, Tay was great and taught us lots about Thai food and the ingredients used in cooking. We made lots of tasty food, we couldn't eat it all so got to take some home too.

It was a very well paced tour and a welcome break from the chaos of the city. The waterfalls and pagodas were beautiful and not too busy, with plenty of photo opportunities. We also really enjoyed the local hill tribe visit, I expected it to be too touristy and it wasn't. Our guide Nana and the driver were great Would recommend

Authentic Thai dishes carefully explained and presented by our instructor. Intimate environment making a perfect romantic afternoon.

We spent a good day, the temples are wonderful. The driver was good and the guide Pim very kind.

The Trip was very nice and our Tour Guide Nook was Just great and took good Care of us!